A beautiful poem Michelle. So like David. I’m so thankful that God looks at our hearts, and He knows all things. And He understands our weakness. And it really is all Him. All we can do is yearn and long and seek and desire with as much desire as He gives us, and if that runs out, to desire more desire with everything in us… and that pleases Him, that He calls a David heart.

Michelle that is a very passionate poem of the hunger for faith. Your desire to give your heart completely to God really comes through.

“If I’m not moving in Your Spirit, are my works worthy of Your glory? If my mind controls the work of my hands,
Hoping the deeds will bring You honor, Secretly wondering what accolades I may receive…Am I a hypocrite,
Or a self-conscious enthusiast worrying about appearances?”

I think we perform good works for two reasons. We expect to be rewarded, or we just feel it’s the right thing to do.

If we perform good works in the expectation of a reward does this diminish the good it does? For the world we live in I don’t believe it does.

Question – If a Christian performs good work soley because they hope God will judge them better, or reward them in some way in Heaven, does this diminish the good they do in God’s eyes?

My perception is a Christian should seek the guidance of their in dwelling Holy Spirt in all they do. There is no reward other than God’s love being expressed by how they live. God’s love is the only reward a Christian needs.

Hey, Ed! You would seek to delve deeper into the meaning of this poem. 😕 😀

Any work that benefits society, I suppose society would call “good”. However, society’s definition of good is not always the same as God’s.

To move in His Spirit is to be motivated by those things that will bring praise to Him. The word glory — doxa — means “to bring a correct estimate, judgment, opinion.” Therefore, to bring glory to God would be to speak truthfully of Him through my actions. If I am hoping for accolades, then the work I do brings glory to me, for my own importance — even if it was “good” for society — I have gained all the reward I will receive. Jesus spoke of this in Matthew 6, not doing works for the praise of men.

Being a “self-conscious enthusiast” for much of my life, it is very hard for me to understand my motivation, at times. I think, when I do stand before God and receive whatever reward He may give, I will be completely surprised by the works deemed worthy in His eyes.

Could you elaborate more on what you mean by the last line, “You cannot deny you.”

You (God) cannot deny Yourself (God)
He is the definition of Truth and Faithfulness. When He comes the second time He will be called Faithful and True (Rev. 3:14; 19:11). The phrase comes from 2 Timothy 2:11-13,

It is a trustworthy statement:
For if we died with Him, we will also live with Him;
If we endure, we will also reign with Him;
If we deny Him, He also will deny us;
If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.

I believe this means: Even if I am not always faithful, He is; therefore, His word is true and He will bring me to completion.

if we are all honest we all hit this wall from time to time. i know i do. Learning at this time to thank HIM for the struggle…its sort of like a butterfly having to struggle to get out of the cocoon, so that he will have strength to fly…we are going to need that strength born of the struggle for what HE has in store for us..at least thats how it looks for me, where i am at in this moment. love ya chica

Thanks for taking the time to help me understand better the last line in your poem.

A Christian can trust that God will always be faithful to his word, even as they are not always faithful to his guidance. There is no need to seek God’s reward, because He promises they will receive it. The only motivation necessary is in that in bringing glory to God in all they do, they are being true to his word.

I AM the True Light

John’s Gospel

A Peaceful Life

God grant me the serenity
To accept the things
I cannot change;
Courage to change the things I can;
And wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardship
As the pathway to peace;
Taking, as Jesus did,
This sinful world as it is,
Not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make
All things right if
I surrender to His will;
So that I may be
Reasonably happy in this life and
Supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next.
Amen.